


The less we say about it the better

by fuckedupasusual



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Emotionally Repressed, Gen, I can't seem to be able write happy macdennis so sorry, Ice Skating, Idiots in Love, M/M, bottled up feelings, convoluted sentences, rebellious use of commata, set somewhere in S13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-28
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-06 22:22:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17948234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuckedupasusual/pseuds/fuckedupasusual
Summary: One uneventful Sunday afternoon, Dennis decides that he and Mac need to spend more quality time together.





	The less we say about it the better

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this one cold day on my work commute, don't @ me. This is probably garbage but I felt that we've been robbed of MacDennis moments in S13, so there.

“We should do something.”  
“Like what?”  
“I don't know, ice skating?”  
“What- Dennis, you know I hate ice skating.”  
“Ah, come on. Just because of that one incident a couple of years ago? You gotta expose yourself to the experience again.”

Dennis sat aside the book he had been reading and tried to give Mac an encouraging smile. At least that was what he was going for. In reality, it was a pleading look more than anything. Mac stared at him in disbelief. 

“Where is this coming from?”  
“Can't two buddies just simply go ice skating together without one of them having an ulterior motive?”

Mac raised his eyebrow as Dennis was scratching his ear.

“I guess? It's just… you've been so distant ever since you came back… well, actually you have been distant even before you left. So, forgive my curiosity.”

Dennis sighed. This wasn't going in the direction he had hoped for. Discussing or explaining the reasons for his suggestion certainly wasn't on his agenda.

“Look, if you don't want to, it's fine. I just thought that… it might be nice. To have a little bit of Us time.”

The words came out in staccato and more whiny than intended. Dennis felt more and more uncomfortable having this conversation at all. He was ready to drop it.

“Fine. But you are not allowed to make fun of me. I haven't had time to work on my skating skills.”

Dennis smiled although it was barely noticeable. He looked up and nodded in agreement.

“Sure thing. Maybe I can help you. I went quite often when I was in North- never mind.”

He quickly stopped himself from saying any more.

…

The drive to the ice rink was weird. They tried to fall back into old comfortable patterns but it just didn't seem to click.

“Do you wanna pick the music?”  
“Nah, I'm good.”

Dennis turned on the radio to overpower the uncomfortable silence and clung to every word the radio dj said just so he didn't have to listen to his own thoughts that were spiralling and began to dangerously border on an anxiety attack.

…

When they got to the place, it wasn't packed but it wasn't empty either.

Thankfully, they didn't have to line up to borrow skates. Mac of course had his own pair from back then and at some point, he had insisted on getting Dennis a pair of his own because “rented ones are gross as shit, dude!”

They sat down on the plastic chairs to change into their gear. Mac wondered if he'd ever seen Dennis in that winter jacket but he concluded that he must have bought it in ND and quickly aborted thinking about the issue any further.

Mac watched Dennis tying his shoelaces and noticed the sharper lines of his face.

“You've lost weight” Mac said matter of fact-ly.

Dennis looked slightly up and caught his eye for a second before busying himself with his skates again.

“Yeah? I don't know. Maybe.” He shrugged but failed to make the pretend indifference sound believable. 

Some random pop music playlist was blaring through the speakers of the hall. It wasn't loud enough to make out an actual song but it was enough to make their silence more bearable. 

“All set?” Dennis got to his feet and stalked towards the entrance of the ice rink. Mac nodded but hesitated getting up.

Dennis waved over his shoulder. “Come on. I've got you, buddy. I won't let you fall” His words created a feeling in Mac's stomach that he couldn't quite pinpoint or put a label on but they made him follow Dennis onto the ice. Slowly, he sat one foot next to the other and formed a death grip around the barrier.

Dennis had already done half a lap when he circled back to Mac. He almost laughed at the sight of beefcake Mac with shaking legs, hunched over and too paralysed to make another move but he remembered his promise from earlier. He came to a halt right in front of Mac's face.

“Here, grab my hands.” Dennis held out his gloved fingers. And although Mac wasn't fully convinced that it was a good idea to let go of his current support, he took a leap of faith and took hold of Dennis’ hands.

This action sent such a unwarrented shiver down his spine that he almost toppled over.

“Easy there, Tonya Harding”, Dennis laughed but his voice was soft. “Try standing upright. It'll help you keeping your balance. And down look down, look at me.”

This was easier said than done and Mac found it infinitely harder to stare into Dennis’ eyes. He tried to focus on some phantom spot beyond his ears, instead. 

Slowly, Dennis moved backwards and pulled Mac with him. It seemed like he only had eyes for him and didn't even notice the other people or the screaming kids around them.

“That's it. Your doing so well, baby boy.” It was merely but a whisper but Mac heard it just fine and felt his ears burning. (He thanked his past-self from earlier for putting on a hat.)

They went a few rounds like that until Mac felt safe enough to take a few strides on his own.  
Dennis was right by his side, ready to catch his elbow whenever he felt Mac tumbling.

Mac thought that it must have looked like the world's weirdest figure skating slow dance and them not talking didn't make it better. He debated whether or not to break the silence with small talk. But they had never had to make small talk in the past. This was totally new territory, almost first date-ish. He couldn't remember a moment in their relationship that he had ever even felt the need to make conversation. It either came naturally or not at all and that had been fine, too.

“Hey, you are doing great, buddy! Did you flip a switch in your head or what's your secret?” Dennis sounded overly joyous and Mac realised the reason why he did a proper job at skating was that he hadn't paid attention to it at all. He had been lost in his thoughts that his body had gone on autopilot.

“Ah, guess I just wasn't thinking about it” He suddelnly felt too tired to come up with a chippy answer.

“Or you are a natural and just didn't know it." Dennis deliberately bumped into his side which made Mac almost topple over. “Yo, watch it dude. I don't want to fall and get my fingers cut off by some kid!”

Instead of offering an apology, Dennis slid behind Mac and grabbed him by his waist.

“What the-?” Mac tried to turn around to see what he was up to.

“Na-ah. Look ahead or you'll lose balance. Let's show these kids some action, shall we?” Dennis said with a big grin on his face.

He sped up and all that's left for Mac to do was to slightly lean back into his hands for support and try to stay upright. And also to yell at some kids that were standing in their way, so they wouldn't get run over because Dennis definitely wouldn't be stopping for them.

They were nearing the end of the rink pretty fast and Dennis didn't seem to want to stop and Mac didn't know how to, having just learned how to go forward.

They hit the barrier with a mild crash and Mac felt Dennis pressing into his back.

“Dude, why didn't you stop?” He laughed into Mac's neck like he didn't totally plan for this to happen.

Mac briefly contemplated punching him in the gut with his elbow but then decided on a less violent option. He wiggled free and shook every thought he had about the position they found themselves in. He could think of at least ten different inappropriate scenarios that he would have appreciated the moment a lot better.

“Whatever, bozo. I need a break anyway. I'm freezing and I'm hungry as shit.”

“Alright, big boy. Sit down, I'll get us something to warm up.” Dennis squeezed Mac's shoulder and made his way up the stairs.

Mac couldn't get a read on him ever since he had come back. He tried his best to be patient and considerate and ignore his weird mood swings. Which was fine because that was what he had been doing for the last two decades. Yet something was different. Mac tried to give what him what he asked for like he always did. But it sucked the energy right out of him because he didn't know what it all meant.

Dennis came back an unholy amount of time later. So much later that Mac had begun to bounce his knee and tap the plastic seat he was sitting on with erratic fingers because he couldn't push past the thought of Dennis bolting on him and driving right back to his other life. It was something Mac thought about a lot actually and the anxiety was silently and slowly eating him up. He never mentioned it to anybody, much less admitted it to himself.

Dennis interrupted his train of anxious thoughts with an ungentle tap on his shoulder.

“Hey, a little help here, asshole?”

Mac looked up and found him carefully balancing two cups of coffee and a small tray of fries.

He sat down next to Mac after handing off the coffee and the food and took a sip.

“I made them make yours extra sweet, you disgusting savage.”

Mac totally didn't think about the fact that out of insurmountable desperation and the feeling of missing Dennis, he had tried to accommodate to drinking it black. Just to feel closer to Dennis. And the strong and bitter taste had suited the feeling in his chest perfectly.  
He nodded and gave a weak toast with his cup. He really needed to stop getting lost inside his head. It happened a lot these days. Not only because of the thing with Dennis. There was other stuff, too that kept him up at night because his mind wouldn't shut up.

They sat in relative silence. It wasn't comfortable but it wasn't uncomfortable either. Dennis stole some fries from Mac and chewed them without much passion. Mac purposefully ignored how their knees bumped against each other. He suspected Dennis was doing it on purpose. Things were just so weird between them right now, he had almost forgotten how to act around Dennis, especially without the gang around.

“So-”  
“So-”

Both of them started their sentence at the same time. Mac sat down his empty food and drink and scratched his neck.

“You wanna go another round?” Dennis’ voice almost sounded pleading.

“Nah, man. I think I'm good.”  
“Are you sure? We paid for the whole evening.”  
“Let's just go home.”

Those were words that Mac hadn't spoken in a long time and it felt somehow wrong and somehow right. Dennis nodded and it was strange to not have him put up a fight or whine or do anything. He had certainly changed and maybe he didn't know either what it all meant. Maybe they were to figure it out together.

Mac got up and bumped right into Dennis’ torso. He shot him a questioning look.

“Dude, your trash. You were not going to leave it there like some asshole, were you?”

Mac sighed and picked up his stuff while ignoring his prickling skin right where his body had touched Dennis’. And maybe Dennis felt the same way because he kept his eyes on Mac the entire time, probably thinking he wasn't noticing. But Mac did notice and it filled him up with an emotion he couldn't name.

They drove back in silence with the music on. Each stared out the window without acknowledging the strange and unfamiliar feeling that lingered between them these days. Stuff it down, ignore it, maybe keep an eye on it but never mention it, business as usual, right?

When they pulled up to their apartment and the car came to a halt, a wave of guilt washed over Mac because of course, he had to be the one feeling guilty by the end of the day.

Before Dennis could reach for the door, he cleared his throat.

“Hey, Den…” the old nickname felt heavy on his tongue, “thanks for the evening. It was nice.” 

Mac hoped the words didn't sound to forced and fake and added half a smile for good measure.

Dennis smiled back weakly and there was a sudden sadness in his eyes.

“It was. Hey, you go ahead. I'll be right up in a minute or so…”

“Okay?” It was a question that Mac knew he wouldn't get the answer to. So he climbed out of the vehicle and made his way to the apartment. All the way trying to shake the anxiety that came with image of Dennis leaving again.

**Author's Note:**

> I had to edit this twice bc it had been in my drafts so long that it got deleted. I almost cringed to death. But if you liked it, leave me feedback. Anything is appreciated. Come say hi on tumblr or twitter. title cred: Talking Heads - This must be the place


End file.
